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The Whimbrel is listed in Annex II B of the Directive 2009/147/EC, Appendix III of the Bern Convention, Appendix II of the Bonn Convention, and Annex 2, category C1 of the AEWA Agreement under the latter convention.
Its conservation status is considered favourable in Europe (BirdLife International 2004, Delany et al. 2009) and in the world (UICN). Its status is however assessed based on very uncertain foundations, owing to major gaps in the knowledge of its numbers and the sequence of its prenuptial migration (Trolliet 2006).
Furthermore, the recent and drastic decline in the abundance of this species at migratory stopovers in the south of the Vendée département (Aiguillon Bay/Poitevin Marsh) can be reason for concern and warrants attention. It is classified as SEEN as a migrant by UICN France et al. (2011).
It is therefore important to best assess the current conservation status of the Whimbrel in France and to identify priority objectives to clarify this status and maintain it, or improve it if appropriate.
The first part of this Management plan outlines the different populations concerned, what is known about their size and distribution, the factors that can have a determining effect on their dynamics, and existing conservation actions. The second part assesses the priorities for the species and its habitats, and identifies the related objectives. The third part details the recommended actions to meet these objectives during the course of this Management plan. It also proposes indicators in the light of which the Management plan can be revised at its expiration.

PART 1. STATE OF KNOWLEDGE
1.1. DISTRIBUTION AND POPULATION
1.1.1. Distribution range

The Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus (Linnaeus 1758) is a holarctic polytypical wader. Map 1 shows its world distribution range.
N. p. hudsonicus (Latham 1790) breeds locally in northern North America and winters along the coasts from North America (south of British Columbia on the Pacific coast, and south of North Carolina on the Atlantic coast) to Austral America. Until recently, it was supposed that those breeding in Alaska and in north-western Canada had separate migration pathways from those breeding in the Hudson Bay region, and wintered on the western coasts of America. Wetlands International (2006), after Engelmoer and Roselaar (1998), classified these « western » Whimbrels in the subspecies N. p. rufiventris. Recent satellite telemetry studies have shown that they could in fact also cross North America from west to east and winter on the eastern coasts of the continent, and that individuals could stop successively on the two distinct breeding areas (Watts et al. 2008, Wilke & Johnston-González 2010). There is a size dimorphism (the western birds being on average larger) showing that there is a genetic isolation, but we retain here, as Wilke & Johnston-González (2010), only N. p. hudsonicus, passing through the West Indies and wintering on the coasts of Guiana.
The Whimbrels breeding in Iceland, in Scotland, in the Feroe islands and in eastern Greenland were recognized by Salomonsen (1947) as a distinct subspecies : N. p. islandicus (Brehm 1831). Since the validity of this subspecies is not firmly established, it has been thereafter neglected by many authors. Engelmoer & Roselaar (1998) however supported the relevance of this subspecific distinction, which is now usually accepted (Delany et al. 2009).
The nominal subspecies breeds from Scandinavia to central Siberia, between 55° (in Belarus) and 70° (in Norway) north latitude. As the N. p. islandicus, the N. p. phaeopus coming from the western part of this breeding range winter mainly along the coasts of West Africa, from Mauritania to the Gulf of Guinea included. Some of them winter perhaps further south, as far as Austral Africa. A few hundreds spend the winter in Europe and in northern Africa. Those coming from more eastern breeding areas (Asian part of the breeding range) winter on the coasts and the islands of the western Indian Ocean, as well as in Iran and in India and perhaps on the coasts of south-western Africa.
N. p. alboaxillaris (Lowe 1921) used to breed in the steppes south and south-east of Oural, in Russia and in Kazhakstan and probably winters in eastern Africa, where specimens have been obtained. This subspecies is on the verge of extinction, owing to modification of its breeding habitat and, possibly, climate changes in this region (Morozov 1998 and 2000).
N. p. variegatus (Scopoli 1786) breeds in the centre-north and north-east of Siberia. According to Rogacheva (1992), it hybridizes with N. p. phaeopus in the Taimyr and the Yenisey valley. It winters on the coasts of South-East Asia, of Australia and New-Zealand. Tomkovich (2008) proposes a new subspecies N. p. rogachevae from central Siberia, based on foundations that seem too tenuous for us to retain it here.

In the north of its distribution range, the presence of an isolated population in Lake Chad was reported by Malbrant (1936). In the absence of subsequent naturalist sightings of the species on this lake, the current status of this population is unknown. The reason for this is that this lake is very little covered by naturalists or recreational hunters. The marshes where the Sitatunga lives scan only be covered in canoe, using channels and passages created by fishermen where such passages exist, and opportunities for sightings of the species are very reduced, owing to the height and density of the floating vegetation.

Consequently, we took advantage of overflights of this lake in January 2006, 2007 and 2008 to record our sightings of this species. These overflights were made within the framework of waterbird count campaigns. In January 2006, the observations were made by one of us (Trolliet 2006) from a Cessna® 150 flying low (usually at about fifteen metres above the water) and slowly (110 à 120 km/h). In January 2007 and 2008, they were made by both of us from a Cessna® 172 flying usually higher (between 30 and 100 m) and faster (between 150 and 180 km/h). Environments where the West African sitatunga might be found were flown over mainly in the afternoon, before 5:00 PM (local time), and to a lesser extent in the morning, after 7:45 AM ; these overflights therefore took place outside of the most popular daily feeding periods which are the most favourable for sightings of this species (Wilson & Mittermeier 2011).
All the individuals observed in a given year were assumed to be different. During the actual waterbird counts, a given area was only flown over once. When we made several direct trips from the aerodromes of N’Djaména or Douguia towards the north of the lake, we ensured that the successive trips were sufficiently distant from each other that it was unlikely to see again the same individual during two flights spaced a day or two apart. On the other hand, we could not preclude that some individuals were seen successively in 2006, 2007 or/and 2008. The sex of animals was determined insofar as possible, according to the body size, colour, carriage and, obviously, the presence of horns when they could be observed. The sightings of 2007 and 2008 were located with a G.P.S. (Garmin® 196).

Translation - EnglishINTRODUCTION
SAGIR is a network for the epidemiological surveillance of wild birds and terrestrial mammals, in particular species whose hunting is authorized in France. This surveillance, based on a constant partnership between the Hunting federations and the National hunting and wildlife agency (ONCFS) has been carried out since 1955 (de Lavaur, 1978), it was consolidated in 1972 and has taken on its its present dimension in 1986 under the name SAGIR. It has four main objectives : i) characterization in time and space of wild bird and mammal diseases with priority stake for the health of populations , ii) early detection of the appearance of new wildlife diseases, iii) monitoring of acute non-intentional effects of the use of phytopharmaceutical products in agriculture on wild birds and mammals, iv) knowledge of wildlife pathogens that are transmissible to humans, with a view to the latter’s protection, in particular that of hunters. This general long-term monitoring also contributes to the knowledge of pathogens that are shared by wildlife and domestic animals. This data is fundamental for hunting managers and for risk managers and assessors.
To carry out this epidemiological surveillance, the SAGIR network uses the detection of wild bird and mammal mortality and the determination of its aetiology.
This report presents the results of the SAGIR network recorded from 2006 to 2008, representing 11 634 wild bird and mammal specimens. These animals were discovered dead or sick in the field, collected by the network observers and then analyzed by the departemental veterinary laboratories. The analysis systematically consists of an autopsy and, when necessary, further examinations are performed to specify and confirm the post mortem diagnosis. The data sources of this report are macroscopic findings, the results of the histology, bacteriology, virology, parasitology, toxicology and other veterinary areas of specialization.
After outlining the methods, we detail the results per species, per year and per “département”. The main diagnosed infectious and parasitic diseases are presented in a specific chapter and the following chapter presents intoxication cases. Although the results generated by the network can generally only be analysed in a descriptive way, they can extend scientific questioning through new analytical hypotheses. In this case, another research team takes over or works in partnership with the network. Indeed, for a sound understanding of a health phenomenon, general surveillance data are insufficient, and must be completed with further results steming from a strengthened and targeted surveillance, bringing together different specialists in ecology, veterinary diagnostic, pathology, epidemiology, to have an integrated vision of the phenomenon. Six examples are highlighted in this report to illustrate the complementarity between the SAGIR and other epidemiosurveillance systems.

In much of northern Sweden moose Alces alces browse rowan Sorbus aucuparia heavily and commonly revisit previously browsed plants. Repeated browsing of rowan by moose has created some concern for its long-term survival in heavily browsed areas. We therefore measured how four years of simulated moose browsing at four population densities (0, 10, 30 and 50 moose/1,000 ha) changed plant height, crown width, available bite mass, the number of bites per plant and per plant forage biomass of rowan saplings. Increased biomass removal led to a significant decline in plant height (P < 0.001), but a significant increase in the number of bites per plant (P = 0.012). Increases in the number of bites per plant more than compensated for weak decreases in bite mass, leading to a weak increase in per plant forage biomass (P = 0.072). With the decline in plant height and increase in the number of stems per plant, a greater number of bites remain within the height reach of moose relative to unbrowsed controls. Moose therefore stand to benefit from revisiting previously browsed plants, which may result in feeding loops between moose and previously browsed rowan saplings.

Management of large herbivores could be improved by investing less effort in estimating absolute abundance and more effort tracking variation over time of indicators of ecological change (IEC) describing animal performance, herbivore impact on habitat, and relative animal abundance. To describe relative changes in animal abundance, monitoring trends in numbers through indices may constitute a useful and low cost method, especially at large spatial scales. Reliability of indices to detect trends should be evaluated before they are used in wildlife management. We compared population trends estimated from spotlight counts, a standard census method for deer populations, with population size estimates of a red deer Cervus elaphus population monitored using Capture-Mark-Recapture (CMR) methodology. We found a strong negative effect of conditions of observation (e.g. rainfall) on both the number of animals (-24.4%) and the number of groups ( 1.6%) seen per kilometre. After controlling for observation conditions, we found that these two abundance indices were linearly correlated withCMRestimates, with the group-based index being better correlated (r = 0.75) than the individual-based index (r = 0.68). These consistent trends between indices and CMR estimates provide support in using standardised spotlight counts as an IEC describing relative changes in abundance for the monitoring and management of red deer populations.

English to French: What is the spatial unit for a wintering teal Anas crecca? Weekly day roost fidelity inferred from nasal saddles in the Camargue, southern FranceGeneral field: ScienceDetailed field: Zoology

Source text - English

Dabbling ducks generally use distinct day roost and nocturnal habitats, the set of which constitute their ‘functional unit’. The rate at which these birds may switch between day roosts has never been quantified. Using resightings of nasal-saddled birds and capture-recapture modelling in the Camargue, southern France, we estimated the weekly probability that a teal Anas crecca switches from one day roost to another one nearby (transition probabilities). We also estimated the probability that a teal survives and remains in our study area, consisting of four neighbouring roosts (apparent survival). Birds were highly faithful to one specific water body if they remained in our study area (i.e. weekly rate of switching between roosts was only about 2-6%), but the probability that an individual remained within one of the four roosts from one week to the next (local weekly apparent survival rate) was only 60-70%. Intensive search efforts led to a 60% detection probability. Low local apparent survival coupled with very high site fidelity within the system suggests that two distinct strategies may coexist, i.e. frequent movement between distant winter quarters vs very high fidelity to the very same local wetland. Such strategies may be used successively by the same individuals, or may alternatively represent distinct bird categories (i.e. transients vs residents). In any case, these different strategies suggest that habitat management procedures need to be considered at both local and flyway scales simultaneously. The former may ensure that sites repeatedly used by the same individuals can provide adequate conditions to birds when they remain in a given winter quarter, while the latter will ensure transient birds find appropriate sites within the network of distant wetlands they may use as successive wintering quarters during a season.
Key words: Anas crecca, capture-mark-recapture, nasal saddles, roost fidelity, teal, transience

With a Master's Degree in Biosociology from Paris V University, I previously worked as a science writer in the life sciences field for the "Cité des sciences et de l'industrie" in Paris and I have been working for the last six years as a French / English translator for the French hunting and wildlife agency (ONCFS). I have proofread and translated scientific articles, conference abstracts and proceedings, reports, management plans and newsletters in the fields of ecology, biology, epidemiology and wildlife management, as well as legal documents (contracts, agreements), not to mention many letters.
I translated abstracts of articles from English to French for the journal Wildlife Biology. I have helped many post-doctoral researchers and research students by proofreading their articles in English before they were accepted for publication. I am working as a freelance translator since January 2013.

I also hold an M.Sc in Information Management from Sheffield University, a Licence in English from Paris IV University and a B.A. in Social Anthropology from Sussex University. With the dual nationality, I am perfectly bilingual.